Don't Go Where I Can't Follow
by cassieodesta
Summary: "Finn..." I speak softly for the first time in months. He stares at me for a moment then says, "Don't go where I can't follow, Annie." An Odesta Fanfiction that begins with Annie's reaping and ends at the end of Mockingjay. Told from Annie's point of view.
1. Chapter 1: My Death

My eyes opened slowly as the light shown through the window into my eyes. I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, but the day was looming over me. It kept on echoing in the back of my mind. Today wasn't just another day as a I wished it was. Today was the day of the reaping of the 70th Hunger Games. Saying that I was scared was incorrect, I was petrified like every year. This was my second to last year to be in the reaping, but that held no comfort to me. My name was in the bowl six time this year and that didn't make me feel any better. My chances just got higher as every single year passed.

My sister, Meredith, groaned from across the room, interrupting my ominous thoughts. I tried to stay as still as possible so that she would not notice that I was awake. She usually would leave me here on a day like this. "Get up, Annie." She moans at me. "I know you're awake over there."

"Get up yourself." I utter.

I hear the floorboards creek under Meredith's weight. She is 21 years old and has surpassed all her reapings. Soon she is to be married to another boy from our district named Beck. My whole life she has taken care of me and I fear that when she gets married I will loose her. Beck is a kind enough man, but he is still just a boy in my eyes and not ready for the marriage. My sister was always one to rush things in her life. I know that she is not ready for marriage either, but no one can stop a stubborn mind.

"Annie, you have to get up." I feel the side of my bed sink.

"Please don't make me." I whine to her.

"Mom and Dad will get mad if you don't."

My mother is much more harsh than my father. She does not get as mad at me as she does my sister because she knows that I will have a breakdown if she does. She is kind like my father. My father... He is the most wonderful man in the whole world. He will do anything to help people. As much as I love them, today I resent them for even giving birth to me.

"Let them for all I care." My eyes water and I begin crying. I can't do this. Fear overwhelms me and I nearly hurl right there in the bed. I am not ready for the reaping. I am never ready for the reaping. It is just like that and I begin to have a panic attack. My hands begin shaking and my heart pounds against my chest. The uncontrollable breaths begin next. Soon enough my whole body is shaking. I am sobbing moments later as I gasp for air.

"Annie..." She rubs my back. "Annie, it's okay..."

"It... is... not..." I squeak in between gasps.

"You're not going to get reaped. I promise. And if you did, I would have volunteered for you if I could."

What she says is not comforting at all. If she could even volunteer for me I would not let her. I have never been a person worthy of anything so what is wrong with me dying. No one would feel the loss. My family would no longer be stuck with the burden that is me. Everything would be better for them.

Meredith stops speaking because she knows that what she says is not going to make anything better. She just sits there as I rock back and forth trying to calm myself. My brain races from one thought to another. _What if I get reaped? What will the arena be like? How will I kill someone? Could I ever win the games? In any circumstances? _There isn't even a Career that could save me this year. None of them are prepared to enter the Games yet.

Eventually my racing mind slows down and the thoughts stop. My mind just goes blank and the tears come to a hault. I begin to breath more steadily. I lift my face from the pillow and it sticks a bit from my tears. I rub my eyes and look into my sister's muddy brown eyes. She looks worried, but I disregard it because she is always worried about me, just like everyone else I have ever met.

I have to admit that I am a fragile person. Doubt fills over half of my thoughts and I cannot control them often times. When I was young I was teased for being too scared of things, such as playing on the monkey bars during recess. During middle school, I was bullied for being quiet and hardly speaking even when I was asked questions by the teacher. I still don't have many friends. The closest things that I have to friends are acquaintances. My sister and my parents are my only true friends.

"Are you okay?" Meredith wonders to me. I nod even though it is a complete lie. "Let's get ready. The reaping is in an hour."

I get up off of the bed, go take a shower, and wash my hair before returning to the room. Meredith is already dressed in her deep purple dress. I pull on my light blue one that exposes my shoulder. I rub them uncomfortably, yet I don't complain about it because I know how much my mother paid for this dress and how long we saved up for it.

The next 30 minutes is a blur. My family and I walk up to the Justice Building. They hug me before I go. My arms are slack around their backs as they do this. I turn away and make my way toward the check in line. I check into the reaping where they prick my finger and identify who I am. I go and stand with the rest of girls who are my age. I peer back at my father and mother who wave at me. I try to wave back and my hand does not move from my side. Meredith smiles at me and I only frown back. No one can change my mood now. Sorrow fills my heart and I feel a tear drip down my cheek. I wipe it away quickly before anyone can see especially my parents.

Evangeline Lennox walks up onto the stage with an escort of peacekeepers. She wears, as usual, a flamboyant bright blue outfit covered in feathers and sapphires. I almost laugh at her getup, and it makes me feel a bit better about myself. I'm only in that bowl six times out of about 500, I attempt to tell myself. How could I be chosen?

"Welcome, District Four, to the 70th Hunger Games Reaping!" She pauses as if she is waiting for us to cheer, but we are all silent. "Now for a video from the Capitol to remind us all of why there are the Games." Her accent is ridiculous as always. The video from every other year is queued. Clips of the revolution show up on the screen above the possible tributes. The voice on the video explains why the Games were created (as punishment for the district's uprising). Next they transfer to clips of the past Games filled with blood that just makes me want to get sick. I look down at my shoes. My stomach growls. I should have eaten something before I left, except that would have just increased the possibility of me getting sick. The video ends and I look up.

"Well, now that was exciting!" Evangeline smiles out at us. "Now for the female tribute of the 70th Hunger Games!" She waddles over to a bowl in her extremly high heels. Her fingers enter the bowl and yank out a sheet of paper. It seems like forever for her to get back to the microphone. She opens the paper slowly and smiles at us one last time before saying the name."Annie Cresta!"

I nearly screech as she says my name. How could this happen? How could it be me out of all those names? I am surprised I haven't begun sobbing or have fainted girls around me stare and whisper. I hear other sighing with relief that it is me and not them. My feet begin moving toward the stage without me telling them to. I am sure that I look as horrified as I feel. Evangeline takes my hand as I walk up the stairs. I catch the deepest green eyes of a man with copper hair and a beautiful chiseled face. They are sorrowful to see another get picked as he did once. I recognize this as Finnick Odair who won the 65th Hunger Games.

All I know about him is that all of the girls in our district are obsessed with him, but not me. I always found him to be cocky and stuck up. I suppose if you win the Games you are allowed to be because after all you escaped death. I will admit to myself that he is beautiful, but I would never be able to even relate to a person like him.

I take my place beside Evangeline and she comes back up to the microphone. "For our male tribute!" She walks over to the boy's bowl and pulls out a name. The process seems to go much faster than it did with the choosing of the female tributes. Perhaps it was the dread that consumed my heart. Now that dread has grown even stronger than it was before.

"Troy Watson!" She yells into the microphone and it screeches. I watch Troy make his way through the crowd to the stage. I have never met Troy and all I know about him is that he is quiet like me. Maybe we could get along before the Games. Troy is a tall gangly boy with bright blond hair and contrasting brown eyes. There is a look of dread and anger on his face as he walks up the stairs and joins me on the stage.

Evangeline takes my wrist and lifts it up. "Annie Cresta!" She yells out then lets mine down. She picks up Troy's wrist next and lifts it above her head. "Troy Watson!" Next she lifts both of our wrists into the air. "Your 70th Hunger Games District Four tributes!" The people in the crowd clap quietly and then the ceremony is over just a quickly as it started.


	2. Chapter 2: Meeting Him

**A/N: Thank you for my first review from: Pearl for Katniss. Please tell me what you think of my story! I love the feedback.**

**-C**

* * *

After the reaping, I am taken to a room in the Justice Building where they will let me have visitors for 10 minutes total. The room is small and completely made of rich wood. There are two chairs in the room, each made of matching wood and conceded in a dark blue velvet. Meredith is the first to visit me. When I see her, I can tell that she has been crying by her red eyes and smeared mascara. I hug her as soon as the door closes behind her.

"You have to win." She demands.

"I can't-." I begin to say and she cuts me off immediately.

"Yes, you can. Do it for me, for them, for you, for us."

"I will try, but if I don't just know that I love you more than anything in the world."

"I love you, too. Please try to win. I need you too."

"I promise I will." I tell her, yet I know that I am lying to her once again. No one as weak as me could ever win the Games. I don't even know how to use a weapon. The closest thing I know to a weapon is a net. Perhaps I could catch my opponents then kill them. The very thought of me causing death makes me shudder.

"I want you to take this as your token." Each year every tribute is given the option to bring one thing into the area, often times a piece of jewelry is what people choose. Prior to the Games, the Gamemakers tinker with the token in every way possible to check and see if there is a concealed weapon. If they find one, the token is confiscated. Meredith hands me a seashell necklace with blue sea class women into it.

"Thank you, I love it." I tell her and give her one last hug before she leaves me for the last time ever.

"I love you." She whispers in my ear.

"I love you, too." I whisper back in her's. Then she is gone and my parents enter. My mother immediately begins a lecture on how I need to be strong and it makes me nearly begin crying. I know that I am not strong enough for these Games and how they will destroy me emotionally... Or how they have begun destroying me emotionally already.

My father is much more comforting than my mother. He rubs my back and lets me cry on his shoulder about how I don't want to go. I know that I cannot get out of it know, but there is a glimmer of hope in the distance. He makes me promise to at least try like my sister did and I agree to. My mother and father give me one last hug before leaving. Then they are gone, too, and that is the last time that I will ever see them.

Once my visitors exit, the Peacekeepers come and guide me to the train that will take Troy, our mentors, Evangeline, and I to the Capitol. The train is the most gaudy thing I have ever seen in my life. Velvet covers everything and the colors clash. The first car that I am in has a long table covered in food and drinks. Mags, an elderly woman who won the Games many years ago, sits at the table and is chewing on a cookie. She has wild hair and grey eyes that bear into mine with a dejected stare.

Next to her at the table is Finnick Odair. Now that I can actually take a look at him, his eyes are even more beautiful than I had seen before. They are the perfect green of clovers. I will admit that I am jealous of him for having those striking eyes. I can see that he is athletic even though he is in a suit because of the way that the arms are tight. His long body lays across two chairs and seems relaxed as possible for the situation.

"Come and sit." Mags says to Troy and I. I do so and sit down by Finnick's feet. Troy sits across from me. "Troy, I am going to be your mentor and Finnick will be your's Annie." Of course, I get stuck with Finnick. A person who is the exact opposite of me. Loud, obnoxious and confident compared to quiet, plain, and scared. I immediately expect for him to be a terrible mentor for me. He probably will suggest things to do that I just can't such as being sexy or alluring.

Finnick opens his mouth to say something then closes it as if he has changed his mind. This makes me worry because I think that he does not want to be my mentor. The feeling is mutual, Mr. Odair. We will just have to work this out the best that we can. I sigh quietly and Finnick begins to speak. "You both should really eat something." He says while taking a sugar cube and placing it into his mouth. The crunch makes me flinch and I stare at him in disbelief.

"What's wrong, Cresta?" He questions the look on my face.

"You just ate a whole sugarcube." I say with confusion. Why the heck would someone just eat a sugarcube?

"And you can't do that?" He challenges.

"Don't challenge me." I feel heat grow in my face.

"I do dare to challenge the great Annie Cresta." He flirts with me and I am disgusted. For the first time in a while, I have felt anger consume me. Flirting with a girl who is about to die in the most terrible way possible. A girl who is going to be forced to kill or be killed. "Try it."

I give him a death glare before speaking. "No, thank you."

"Whatever satisfies you." He says. I glance over to Mags and she has the largest smile on her face. Finnick notices too and she gets up and walks away.

"Come on, Troy." She calls to him. He gets up and follows her to the next car, leaving Finnick and I alone.

"From what I understand Cresta, you have no intrest in me at all, do you?" He looks at me curiously. "Why?"

"Why?" I look at him stunned and stand up from my chair. "Why wouldn't I love the amazing, fantastic, handsome, and confident Finnick Odair?" I do my best Capitol accent and touch my collar bone. I gaze at the ceiling as lovingly. "After who doesn't love him? He is the most fabulous person in the whole wide world! Finnick Odair! The winner of the 65th Hunger Game! The Man of the Century! Finnick Odair!" I throw my hand out for the last sentence. I end the scene, drop my hand, and look back at him. He has the biggest smile that I have ever seen on his face. He shakes his head and laughs.

"So I guess, you're tired of hearing about me."

"You bet." His smile makes me smile. "As you probably know, all the girls in District 4 are obsessed with you. One of them being my sister."

"I see." He says and Evangeline enters the car. She has changed into a bright green outfit and her dark hair is pulled up into a complicated bun with many twists and braids.

"Ah, Annie!" She approaches us. "I see you have met the amazing Finnick Odair!" I look over to him with a smile because that was just part of my scene and he chuckles. Evangeline stares lovingly into his eyes, but he seems to ignore it. I have heard things about Finnick and the women of the Capitol. I know that they all wish for him to be their lover. Rumors have said that he is even forced by President Snow sometimes to have sex with them to get the Capitol more money.

I feel sorry for this man that is forced to do these things by the Capitol, yet that is not the person that is in front of me right now. This man is confident and happy with himself. This could not be the same man from the rumors. I would not be surprised if the rumors were not true because of the way that he acts.

"Yes, I have, Evangeline." I tell her with a smile on my face.

"I'm glad, now you two talk about the Games while I prepare for our arrival in the Capitol." She stops as if she is waiting for us both to say something to her

"Alright, thank you." Finnick says as if he is annoyed.

Evangeline sighs and walks out of the car into another on the opposite end. The reality of the Games hits me again. I begin feeling sick again and worry caves into my mind. I am going to die and I can't do anything to stop it. Death is not my biggest fear, being forgotten is. When I die, I will be just another tribute from District Four that did not make it. I glance up and see Finnick looking at me intently.

"Everything will be fine, Annie. We are going to do our best to get you out of that arena." His voice is soft and kind. It almost shocks me that this could be the same man who was challenging me moments ago about a sugar cube.

When Finnick was drawn, I remember that he was just a year above me in school. He was always the popular boy there and no one ever doubted him. He was not a trained Career, but he joined their group anyways. The boy from One whose name I can no longer remember was particularly menacing and violent. He killed ruthlessly and felt nothing from it. Finnick eventually left the Career pack with another girl from Four named Jordan.

Jordan was about 15 in the Games. She was not a strong girl like me, yet was good with a knife. Throughout the whole Games she somehow managed to never kill anyone. I would say that were a good thing if it was not kill or be killed. Finnick protected her until the very end.

They were two of the last three tributes remaining. The boy from One eventually found them by the Cornucopia where they were hiding. The fight was brutal and Jordan lost an eye in the process. Finnick was stabbed in the stomach with an axe by One. They managed to kill the boy from One together. Finnick was the one who took the kill shot. Next, it was just the two of them there. Jordan begged for Finnick to kill her because she did not want to live after the things that she has seen in the arena. Finnick had mercy on her and took her life. The cannons went off and he was the winner of the 65th Hunger Games.

"Now when we get to the Capitol, they will take you to the Preparation Center where they will prepare you for the Tribute Parade." He explains to me. "They are just trying to help you so don't refuse anything that they want to do except for dyeing your skin or something like that. After that, they will take you to the parade, you know how that works. You wear those god awful costumes and ride around in a chariot pulled by horses in the City Circle. The next day training begins. Training lasts for three days and on the last day you will be assessed by the Gamemakers. Don't worry about looking stupid there, I will help you train. The next day will be left for preparation for your interview and the actual Games. Don't worry about that either, I will help you with that too. The next day, the Games commence."

Finnick's explanation calms me surprisingly. He really is going to help me instead of just throwing me on out on the side of the road. In his explanation, I can tell that he is actually a good person. He does just want me to win, he wants to save me from what others have had to go through all these years.

What pain it must caused to be a mentor of the Hunger Games. You are only preparing children for slaughter. I look into Finnick's green eyes and wonder what pain lies beyond them. All of the people who escape the Games come out with mental and physical scars. I wonder what your's are, Finnick Odair. What do you hide behind that dazzling white smile?

We spend the next few hours getting to know each other... or him getting to know me. He reveals hardly anything about himself except what he learned from his Games that could help me. Finnick tells me about the various weapons and items that they could provide to us or that they have provided to the tributes in the past. The thought of making traps sticks out to me the most. That is something that I could actually do.

After talking for a while it is dinner time. Finnick and I walk to the dining car where Mags, Troy, and Evangeline are already seated. I take my place between Troy and Finnick. The whole dinner is filled with small talk. Evangeline is thrilled for the Games and is excited that she has gotten "beautiful" tributes this time around. I nibble at my food, but I don't have much of an appetite. Troy does not have much of one either judging by his plate.

"Annie, you should try the sweet rolls, they are much better than the ones that we have in District Four." Finnick states and I nod.

After nibbling on food for a while I get up and leave the table for bed. The car that has my room to stay in is wonderful. It is not a gaudy as the rest of the tribute train. It is covered in blue wallpaper and has dark wooden floors. It is much nicer than my home, yet it reminds me of it. Perhaps it is the blue. I take a shower then change into the clothes that are provided for me. I lay down into the squishy bed and begin to try to sleep. My mind races through thoughts and does not seem to want to stop. Tonight is going to be a long night.


	3. Chapter 3: The Preparations

The arena... The arena filled with snow. I look at my hands they are black from frostbite. I am sobbing and as my tears fall they freeze to my face. The snow around me is red from my own blood. Above me stands my sister with a knife in her hand. She creeps around me and I see my parents approaching. They have the same menacing look on their face as she does. My mother carries a machete and my father has an axe in his left hand. Their eyes fill with black and I am screaming.

My sister slices into my back and I let out a screech. She laughs insidiously and my parents are the one to make the next moves. I try to get up, yet my body holds me to the ground. _They are enjoying this, _my mind repeats over and over again. I need to run, I keep telling myself. That is not an option anymore, they have me trapped. My father drives his axe into my stomach and leaves it there.

"Isn't she much better this way, Angeline?" My father questions my mother.

"Much." My mother grins straight at me.

"Stop this!" I scream back at them. "You love me!"

Saying this to them just makes them all snicker. My mother takes her machete and swings it back and forth. I know what is coming next. I need to remember that this is how the real games are going to me. I will probably die like this, a pack of allies coming to get me. It will most likely be the Careers. I let out a loud scream and my mother brings back the machete. It is headed for my neck and I awaken.

I begin breathing heavily and sobbing. My body is covered in sweat and sticks to the covers. I sit up and begin rocking back and forth. Back and forth... The same way my mother swung her machete. This just makes me sob harder so I stop rocking even though it should be comforting. My breaths are short and quick, which makes my lips tingle.

It is morning already, I realize by the light coming in through my window. I look up and I can see Evangeline standing before me through my tears. She seems confused and scared. I know that she has no idea what to do because she has never had to deal with this type of thing before. She moves to my side and tries to touch me and I immediately scuttle away across the best and go into the corner that is pressed up against the wall.

"It's alright honey, it will be over in just a few days." She tries to soothe me and it just makes me cry harder.

In seconds, I see Finnick running into the room still in his pajamas. His hair is tousled on his head and he seems to be very disturbed. "Annie..." He says softly. I must have been screaming in my sleep and that is why everyone is here. They must have heard me. "Get out." His words are directed at Evangeline. He must know that she is only making it worse. The very thought of someone like her makes it worse. A person who enjoys the Games.

"What?" Evangeline question him. "I-!"

"GET OUT!" Finnick is harsher this time and she scuttles out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"Annie..." He coos to me and I don't respond. They wanted to kill me. They are just like the rest of the people in these Games. They wanted me dead. "Annie..." He says again. I just shake my head through the tears. "Annie, look at me..." I lift my head and meet his eyes for the first time. "I want you to try and breath like I am, okay?" I nod and he begins breathing in and out slowly. It takes about 7 minutes for me to actually do, yet Finnick does not seem to mind. He does not break a gaze with me the whole time.

When my breathing finally calms, I am still crying. Finnick reaches out to place a hand on me and I shy away. "It's alright." He whispers to me. "I'm not going to hurt you." I trust that he is telling the truth for some unknown reason. I just trust him and I shouldn't trust someone who has killed other people even if they were forced to. He pulls me to him and holds me there until I stop crying.

"Now what happened?"

"I had a dream, I was in the Games and my family were tributes. They tortured me..."

"Your family will never do that. Nor ever would they. I promise you." Finnick soothes me.

"I just can't do it."

"Do what?"

"Kill someone."

"I know what you mean, I said that too before the Games, but impossible things will happen in the arena."

It takes me a moment to speak because I am embarrassed for what I have done. "I'm sorry." I finally speak.

"For what?" He wonders to me.

"For this... For having a breakdown."

"Never, you never have to apologize to me." I am shocked by what he says.

"Thank you." My voice is so low I can hardly hear it. I pull away from him and get off the bed. "We should probably go to breakfast. We'll probably be arriving soon."

"Yeah, I'll go get dressed." He says and leaves.

It is suddenly awkward between the two of us. Most people would die to have Finnick be with them the way I just was. I wasn't dying the way that I suppose I should be. It felt like we had been friends for years from the moment I met him. I don't even know why. The fear of the possibility of having a real friends fills me. I know it was possible that maybe one day I would have a friend, yet I never thought that it would happen so quickly.

I go into the bathroom and run my fingers through my hair. My eyes and face are red from crying so much. I could put makeup on although I go against it because I'd rather be natural than fake. I run a brush through my hair and leave it down. Once I have changed into a blue shirt and a pair a khaki pants, I hear a knock on my door.

"Who is it?" I call.

"It is the 65th Hunger Games Victor, Finnick Odair!" I hear Finnick call from the other side of the door. I open the door and see his smiling face waiting for me. I fake a smile to make him think I am okay even though that is a complete lie. We walk to the dining car and are the last ones to arrive again.

I sit down beside Troy who I just realize I have not heard a word out of since we got here. I suppose he is not taking it well. I'm not either. Today, I actually try to eat because I know that I will be hungry in a couple of days. Troy still barely touches the food that is on his plate. Mags seems concerned by him. He needs protection more than I do I realize. Maybe I am better off than I think that I am.

After breakfast is over, Evangeline informs us that we will be arriving in the Capitol in about an hour. Finnick comes and begins to tell me about getting off the train and what it is like. Apparently, there will be hundreds of Capitol citizens waiting to see the new tributes in person. He tells me that I need to look happy because that will get me more sponsors and I know that is it true. I still don't know if I will be able to look happy because I'm just waiting for my impending death.

I look out the window and see the Capitol on the horizon. This is the first time I have ever been to the Capitol. The Capitol is surrounded by waterfalls. In the middle of the waterfalls are tall buildings. They are all made of the same stone. Some have windows while others do not. I spot the Tribute Center right in the middle of all of it. It is the tallest building of all of them and has the Capitol seal on it.

The train drives straight into the city and through the streets. I see pictures of the tributes faces on banners, including mine. There are advertisements for the Games everywhere. What distracts me the most is the people. Their skin has varying design on it in varying colors. Some of them even have colored skin. Their hair is unrealistic and bright makeup covers their faces. Evangeline is toned down from what I see.

All of the citizen are craning their necks to see the train that is speeding through the city. They are all so excited to see someone die. It makes me want to hurt them, and I never want to hurt anyone. They disgust me so I sit back into the chair. I haven't heard that past few things that Finnick was saying so I just nod my head.

"Yes, you'll eat a sugar cube?" He looks overjoyed.

"What? No!" I respond to him.

"I knew that you weren't listening." He sighs and shakes his head.

"Sorry, it's just all so..." I trail off.

"Repulsive?" Finnick wonders and I nod.

What he says reminds me that he has been in my place before. He knows how I feel and what I am thinking. He was even younger than I was when he went into the Games. Only a 14 year old that somehow beat out everyone else and became a victor. I could never do that even at my age, being on of the oldest tributes.

_Stop it, Annie. You could win, you just have to try. _I tell myself. I know how to use a net and make traps. That could be really helpful. The problem is what would I do with the people after I caught them. I would have to kill them, which I can't do. I know that Finnick says that impossible things will happen in the arena. Something as impossible as me killing...

Evangeline hurries into the room with Troy behind her. "It's time," she squeals to us. I look to Finnick and he nods to me. I get up of the chair and walk over to where she is. She immediately scolds me for my shirt being wrinkled, but it is too soon to change that. The train begins slowing and enters the station. Two Peacekeepers enter the room to escort us. They push us toward the doors and the open once we stop. I look back unsure of what to do and the Peacekeeper behind me steps forward making me also step forward and out of the train.

I am immediately blinded by lights as my foot hits the red carpet. I do my best to smile, yet I think it comes out more as a constipated look. People are screaming my name and trying to get my attention. I attempt to ignore them and walk straight toward the Tribute Center. Determined. I turn around to see if Troy is following me and he is. His face is determined like me although he is not smiling. He is going for a more serious angle.

When I enter the Tribute Center, I am astonished by how high the building is. There are balconies off of every floor all the way to a skylight at the top. Each floor is reserved for one district. I am guessing that the fourth floor would be for the Fourth District. I look around me and see a waterfall. A waterfall inside shocks me. We do not have those in District Four. I stand there dumbfounded and not knowing what to do.

A woman with pink hair and green skin approaches me. Her skin isn't anywhere close to the same color as Finnick's green eyes. This is more of a sickening green. She has golden designs tattooed onto her green skin. She is shorter than me, although not by much. I am already short enough so anyone shorter than me is tiny. She introduces herself as Adair. I tell her I am Annie, yet I realize that she and everyone else already knew that.

We walk to the Preparation Center, which is under the Tribute Center. It is brightly lit and the walls are made of metal. Adair shows me into a room where there is something reminds me of an operation table. It reminds me of a place where they should torture people. Some of the tributes may say that what they are about to do to me is torture. _It cannot be too bad_, I think. My thoughts are soon to be changed.

I am introduced to my prep team. Kian is only man of my prep team and he seems fairly feminine. He has diamonds and other jewels in his skin. The irises of his eyes are even bejeweled and it makes me want to puke when I look at him. I suppose if I win, I'll have to get used to it because we will be seeing a lot of each other. Orla is the second member of my prep team. She is the most normal looking of all of them. The only thing that is strange about her is that she has feathers sticking out of her eyelashes. Veda is the last member of the team. She has golden tattoos on her skin, like Adair, and has elaborate makeup on.

They immediately begin by removing all of my clothes. I feel uncomfortable because there is a man in the room. None of them seem to be bothered by my nudity in the least. They already have a metal tub of something out in the corner. I get into it and they begin scrubbing away at my skin with a sandy substance. I do my best to hide my assets.

"We don't mind, sweetie." Orla tells me.

"I know, but I kind of do." I say and she seems to ignore it.

After the have scrubbed me with about ten different substances that have removed at least two layers of my skin. The room smells sweet after they wash my hair. Once they are done bathing me, I finally get to put a robe on. My stress levels go down after this. They begin doing something to all of my body that is extremely painful. I think that they are uprooting all almost all the hair on my body. They even do it to part of my eyebrows.

After they have finished that, they next move onto painting something onto my nails that makes them go cold. They begin to curl my hair and pin it back into a bun. I feel uncomfortable with my neck revealed because of the dream had last night. I cannot stop touching it because it feels bare. Whenever I touch it, I imagine the hands of another touching my throat to choke me and kill me. This makes me stop immediately.

Once they are done putting too makeup on my face, I stare at myself for a few moments. I don't look like Annie Cresta from District Four, I just like every other tribute that they have dolled up and prepared for slaughter. I hold back the tears because I don't want to mess up what they have done for me. _They only want the best_, I remind myself, _they want me to live_.

Adair comes back in since they are finished. She holds a bag that has my costume in it. I'm sure it will be something awful like just a net that hardly even covers my assets. When she pulls it out I am relieved. It is a one shoulder long blue dress that is covered in shells in various places. There are streams of fabric coming off of the shoulder that vary in blues. It is not beautiful, but it isn't too flamboyant.

I change into the costume and Adair coos about how beautiful I look. I do not agree with her. I feel much more pretty in my own clothes from District Four. Since I am dressed, it is time for me to go to the Tribute Parade. Let the Games begin, I suppose.


	4. Chapter 4: Hating Them

Adair shows me into a large warehouse that is as elegant as any warehouse I have ever seen. The walls are made of large white bricks and the floor is carpeted in red velvet. The chariots are painting in white and outlines with gold designs. When I arrive at the District Four Chariot, Finnick is there to meet me. Troy and his stylist stand on the other side with Mags. She has a strange smile on her face when she looks at me.

"There was a man there." I blurt out and he stares at me for a moment.

"And?" He wonders like it is completely normal.

"I had to get naked in front of a man." I say urgently.

"And I had to get naked in front of a woman when I had my prep team." He laughs.

"And I'm sure you enjoyed it." I can't help, but smile at my comment.

"Did not!" He objects to me.

"Did too." I rebuttal.

"Alright, you two." Mags comes over and says. "It's time for parade to begin."

I get into the carriage next to Troy who is wearing something similar to me. Instead of being a dress, he wears pants and a net over his bare chest. The Capitol would want someone from District Four to go shirtless. I look back at Finnick and stick my tongue out at him and he rolls his eyes back.

"Now, remember to smile!" Troy's stylist reminds us.

A moment after she speaks the chariots begin moving. My hands are shaking and sweating I realize. I try to rub them on the fabric of the dress although this does not help at all. The material of the dress is to slippery to be able to absorb anything. I try to focus on something else. The horses of the chariot are both black and are wearing harnesses the same color as Troy and I's outfits. The Capitol is the only place that would coordinate horse harnesses with outfits. I try to catch a glimpse of what other tributes are wearing in front of us. All I can tell is that whatever they are wearing is gaudy and flamboyant to say the least.

The chariot pulls up once again and out into the City Circle. Stands have been set up so that citizens of the Capitol can watch. The stands are filled with color and the people throw roses at the chariots. I do my best to put on a smile. I try to forget that this is all a game and punishment for something that I did not do.

The Tribute Parade seems to take forever. I attempt to smile but I'm not sure if it working. I look over to Troy who is frowning. I remind myself that they like people who are pleased to be here better. We go around the city circle once then stop in front of a government building with a balcony. I see Snow step out onto the balcony with a nauseating smile on his face. He enjoys every bit of this, which makes me hate him even more than I already do. Before he speaks, he waves to the Capitol Citizens and they cheer even louder. I despise them for loving someone so terrible.

"Welcome, tributes. We salute to your courage and your sacrifice." He says the same thing as he says every year. This year, it is me he is saying it to. I can't stand the way that he smiles for my death. It isn't a sacrifice that I have chosen to make. I don't have courage for this. "We wish you a happy Hunger Games! May the odds be ever in your favor!" _A happy Hunger Games! I'll be getting slaughtered in just a few days and you say it is happy? _I almost want to scream back at him, but I keep myself quiet.

The crowd cheers and the chariots pull us back to the warehouse. We stop the same place that we started. Finnick, Mags, and Evangeline are all there waiting for us. Mags has the same mysterious smile on her face as she did before when Finnick gives me a hug for doing well. The thing about Finnick is one moment I can't stand him and then the next we are best friends.

We go back up to the Tribute Center and have dinner. I eat and Troy does not once again. I feel sorry for him, he must hate this more than I do. Evangeline fills the dinner with small talk about how well we both did and how wonderful our costumes were. I don't speak much during dinner because I am so tired from the long day.

Once dinner is over, Evangeline shows Troy and I to our rooms. The bed in my room is twice the size of the one that I have at home. The room is decorated in various blues. It must be to go with the colors of District Four. I change into a gray v-neck and blue shorts then lie down on the bed when there is a knock that comes from my door.

"Come in!" I call out to whoever it is.

Finnick enters with a few knives in his hand. "Come on, it's not time to sleep yet."

"What, it's 12 o'clock?" I question him.

"There is still things to be done." He tells me

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" I moan into the pillow.

"Nope, get up." He demands me.

"No..." I moan.

"Annie..." He scolds me. "Get up." It is harsher this time although not by much. Since I don't move he drops the knives then he grabs me and throws me over his shoulder.

"Finnick!" I protest and he doesn't seem to notice. "Put me down."

"Not yet, Princess." I can hear his smile in his voice.

I sigh and let him drag me back out to the living room. When we get there, Mags is reading a book and looks up. She smiles and shakes her head. Finnick puts me down finally and returns to my room to get the knives.

"Why are you shaking your head?" I wonder.

"I knew it." Mags giggles happily.

"Knew what?" I asked her confused.

"I just knew!" She says once again, before I can ask her what she knew Finnick returns with the knives. He throws one and hits the center of a flower that is painted onto the wall. He goes and yanks the knife out of the wall then hands it to me. There isn't even the slightest possibility that I could get a knife to hit one of those flowers by throwing it.

"Try it." He says into my ear.

I do my best to imitate his stance. I spread my feet apart and line them up with each other. I put one hand out in front of me to stay steady. I lift the knife behind me and prepare to throw. I take on deep breath before swinging my arm forward and releasing the knife. The knife goes flying, handle over blade. It does not lodge itself in the wall, instead it just hits the wall and falls to the ground.

"Not bad for a first try." Finnick tells me. "You could be good at this."

It is not what I want to be good at, I want to tell him. This isn't the time for complaining even though I am so tired. I need to get a handle on this so that I even have the possibility of living. If only the arena could be a swimming competition, then I could win, after all I am from District Four, the fishing district where everything involves water.

Finnick shows me various tricks that should make my throwing better. Finnick shows to me that he is a patient person during practice, the exact opposite of me. He does not give up on me no matter how hopeless I think I am. He is encouraging in ways that I have never seen before. He even makes me think that I could win, but just for a moment. We continue trying and he tweaks my movements as we pretend to throw knives in slow motion.

After working for about an hour, my throws get progressively better. They begin to actually stick in the wall. Soon enough they are getting closer to the center of the flowers. Mags makes a comment every once in a while about how well I'm doing and that she wishes Troy were here to see. Finally after another 30 minutes I hit the center of a flower.

"Yes!" I cheer for myself and punch the air. Moments later Finnick is picking me up and jumping up and down. I can't help, but laugh because of his behavior. After realizing, what he's done, he puts me down awkwardly. We step apart and are quiet for a moment. I look over and catch Mags creeping out, I question her on what she is going. Mags tell us that it is time for her to go bed and that tomorrow will be a long day. After all it is the first day of training.

Finnick and I are not done training quite yet. Since he knows that I can do it he now pushes me to do it again. Once I hit the center of the flower two more times, he lets me stop. I flop over on the and lay on it upside down. I look over to him and I think I catch him smiling at me. I do my best to ignore his bright white smile and instead think of how exhausted I am.

"Can I go to bed yet?" I moan to Finnick.

"Not yet." He tells me softly. "We still have to discuss what you are going to do in training.

"Throw some knives around, avoid the Careers, try not to look like an idiot." I summarize my ideas.

"No." He tells me plainly. "You are going to focus on survival. Avoiding the Careers is a good idea, don't act as if your scared of them even if you are. Just stay off their radar. You don't want to be who they come to kill first, which means that you're weak. But you also don't want to be the one they want to fight, meaning that you are the strong one. I want you right in the middle of the pack, whether you really are or not."

I nod. He has really thought this out. He has been doing this for the past few years so he must have figured out how to get a tribute to live by now even though none of his have before. I don't want anything to do with the Careers. If I were to join them then I would have to kill more than it would please me. I don't want the coming after me either because I look strong so avoiding practice with any weapon that I could be at is a good idea.

I have figured out by now that I am not going to win the Games. I can still see the hope of me winning in the back of Finnick's mind. I want to tell him to just give up on me, for there is no reason to try on someone who is already dead. I suppose even if I am wrong, and he has figured out that I am going to die, he is trying to get me to live for as long as possible.

He spends the next twenty minutes explaining to me what the training is like. Apparently, they actually let people fight each other in hand to hand combat prior to the Games. Shouldn't this spoil part of the whole reason for the Games? The surprise of fighting someone who you have never fought before? The Capitol is a weird place, as you probably know. The Careers hog all of the weaponry stations, as I would suspect. Several stations that he names interest me such as animal hunting (for food), camouflage, shelters,and tree climbing.

"On the third day of training, I want you to throw knives." He suggests to me and I laugh immediately. "I'm serious." He retorts.

"I can't throw knives in front of anyone, they will see how much I stink at it and come after me first thing in the Games."

"You'll get better. We are going to keep practicing everyday. Trust me, okay?" He pleads.

"How am I not supposed to trust the Great Finnick Odair?" I say dramatically and relieve the tension.

"I don't know, Cresta, but you better." Then we both can't stop smiling.


End file.
